Nokedli (Hungarian Egg Noodle Dumplings)

I used to ask mom to make these all the time. Not only are these suckers a textural delight, they stand up well to strong flavors. This is the superior accompaniment to paprikas csirke (chicken paprika, the Hungarian staple) but they offer many more possibilities. Use these instead of macaroni to make nokedli and cheese, cover them in hot sauce and sour cream, or sprinkle them with nuts and cinnamon sugar. You will not be disappointed.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 whole eggs, beaten

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup warm water

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Grill wok; a späetzle maker will work but isn’t ideal

Equipment Notes

Nokedli are made by pushing a fairly liquid batter through holes and into boiling water. I prefer a device that has holes roughly the diameter of a Chapstick tube. Späetzle makers tend to have much smaller holes which requires a thinner dough and, well, it’s just not as good.

This is the grill wok I use.

Directions

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and form a well in the center. Add the beaten eggs and a little bit (not the 3/4 cup) of water into the center of the well.

Working outward, begin to blend the eggs, water, and flour. Continue adding the water in small amounts until the dough is the right consistency. The dough should be thin enough that it will be able to pass through the holes in the grill wok or whatever device you’re using. Dough should be thicker than a cake batter. You may not need all of the water.

Allow the dough to rest, usually about 30 minutes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once it’s boiling, put the grill wok over the boiling water.

Working in batches of about 1/2 cup, pour the batter in and press the batter through the holes into the boiling water. A thick wooden spoon works well for this. If you pour in too much batter, it might cook onto the pan you’re using instead of in the water, so keep the batter moving.

Allow the nokedli to boil until they begin to float to the top (about 2 -3 minutes). Remove and strain the dumplings with a slotted spoon or mesh strainer and our into a bowl. Continue this process until all the dough is cooked.

Lightly season with salt and pepper and coat with melted butter. For extra flavor, the nokedli can also be toasted in a sauté pan with butter and tossed with fresh herbs.

Source: Mom